Improvement in musical instruments



UNITED STATES IVILLIAM LEIGH, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,219, dated March 25, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,W1LL1AM LEIGH, of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Key-Board Instruments; and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this speciiication, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a section of a key-board embodying` my improvement, and Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section.

My invention is especially designed for piano-fortes and other similar key-board instruments; and consists in substituting for the ordinary wooden fronts plates of glass mirror, extending across the front, back of the keyboard, and immediately above the keys 5 and also making the key-slip of mirror or colored glass. These glass plates improve the tone of the piano, as well as its appearance; and the mirror above the keys, reflecting the keys, has the apparent e'ect of increasing their length. As a consequence, the distance to be traversed by the eyes of the performer in looking from the note-book to the keys is practically diminished, thereby facilitating the progress of loeginners in acquiring the command of the instrument. y

I am aware that it has been suggested to make the entire body of pianos of glass; and also to make the ends, top, cover, and front only of glass, which, after being cast in pieces, are to be cemented together, also, that the making of that part of the front known as the name-board, together with other portions of a piano, of plates of glass, is not new.

My invention is distinguished from all that has been heretofore known in this, that I make the entire instrument of wood and metal, in the usual way, except the parts mentioned, which alone are of glass.

In the annexed drawing, A is the base, and B the front board above the key-board. C are the keys, in the usual form, passing under the front board, with the cloth packing c interposed. By preference, I substitute for the ordinary wooden strips across the outer ends of the keys a key-slip of plate-glass mirror or colored glass, D, and also facethe front board B of the key-board in similar manner with a strip, E, of plate-glass mirror. These plates are secured in place, as indicated, by detachable strips, and are so confined and packed as to prevent rattling.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a musical instrument having a key-board, substantially as set forth, a wooden case having a mirror of glass plate, E, inserted immediately over the keys, with or without the keyslip D of glass mirror or colored glass, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. LEIGH.

Witnesses:

FE. BAYER, Trios. CRossLEv. 

